London Music Venues Launch Petitions Against Threats

Two of London's favourite independent music venues, Union Chapel in Islington and Hootananny in Brixton, are asking for support with campaigns against local councils.

Union Chapel, this year voted London's favourite music venue by readers of Time Out, is reacting to plans by Islington Council to build a six-storey housing development in its backyard.

In a statement, the venue and homeless support project, which is a registered charity, said: "If a few key measures are not planned into the new development now, there is a significant risk that noise complaints from residential neighbours and traffic congestion could cause operations at Union Chapel to cease."

An online petition organised by the management of the Grade I-listed building has already received nearly 3,000 signatures, and they are hoping to reach 5,000 before presenting their case at an Islington Town Hall meeting on 12 November. Sign the petition here.

In Brixton, the award-winning Hootananny pub and venue wants 10,000 signatures to support its case for more flexible opening hours, which currently mean it can't admit punters after 11pm. Open until 3am and hugely popular as part of the Brixton scene, the Hootananny is worried that the loss of revenue will force it to close.

A Lambeth councillor told Brixton Blog that the council is: "working with Hootananny’s management to resolve an increase in complaints to the council and police about the venue". Sign up to the Hootananny campaign, which is going strong, here.

Image, of inside Union Chapel, by Ben Yacobi in the Londonist Flickr pool.